Poker game

ABSTRACT

This invention is for an innovative multi-handed poker game where cards are arranged as a polygon, where each side has the same number of cards and each side has corner cards that are shared with adjacent hands. The player can exchange cards from one hand with cards in another hand to improve his odds of winning.

[0001] This patent relates to an innovative card game that can be playedelectronically, like video poker, or could be played using traditionalcards.

[0002] As described in more detail below, this game allows a player toplay multiple games simultaneously and permits him to exchange cardsfrom other hands to improve his odds of winning.

[0003] The basic configuration of the cards is a diamond shape (althoughother shapes could be used e.g., pentagon and octagon). In thediamond-shaped embodiment, each side of the diamond has five cards. Thecorner cards are used in the adjacent hands. One way to play the game isto deal all three interior cards face up and leave the four corner cardsface down. The player could then decide to swap cards from oppositesides of the diamond. After the exchange, the corner cards could bedisplayed, and the player paid according to a payoff table.

PRIOR ART

[0004] There are a number of video poker games involving multiple hands(see e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,823,873 and 6,007,066), but none of thesegames allows the player to exchange cards from one hand to another hand.The innovation of this patent requires the player to consider entirelydifferent strategies because the exchange could improve one hand at theexpense of another hand. Also, the shared corner cards add an entirelynew dimension to any known poker game.

[0005] Additionally, certain card games, like hearts, permit players toexchange cards, but these games differ from this invention because herethe cards are exchanged between different players, and the players donot know the entire effect of the exchange.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0006]FIG. 1 describes the basic configurations. There are four hands A,B, C and D. Hand A has cards 1, 10, 20, 30 and 40. Cards 1 and 40 arecorner cards, and can be used in hands B and D, respectively.

[0007]FIG. 2 describes one embodiment where four hands A, B, C and D aredisplayed. Hand A consists of cards 10 (jack), 20 (10) and 30 (queen)which are displayed. Hand C consists of cards 90 (8), 100 (jack) and 110(9) which are displayed. Hands B and D could also be displayedsimultaneously.

[0008] In this example, the player would then have the option toexchange opposing cards. The player could exchange cards 10 and 110giving him at least a pair of jacks in hand C and the possibility of astraight in hand A. The corner cards could then be revealed and theresulting hands would be compared to the payoff table.

[0009] In another embodiment the player would have to pay for each handplayed. For example two coins would yield two games, four coins fourgames, etc. If hands B and D were played they would follow the samelogic as described below with respect to hands A and C.

[0010] If hands B and D were also played, the player could exchangecards 60 with 140. The result would be at least three 7's in hand B anda pair of aces in hand D.

[0011] Another embodiment would enable the player to exchange cornercards. This could happen if all the corner cards were dealt face up orthe exchange could take place after the corner cards were revealed.

[0012] Another embodiment would require the player to pay for eachexchange. In this embodiment, the player would pay two betting units(e.g., coins) and would be permitted two exchanges. For each additionalpayment, the player would be entitled to additional exchanges.

[0013] Another embodiment would deal a card in the center. This cardcould be used as a corner card or could be considered a wild card.

[0014] As shown in FIG. 5, to implement this game a video poker machinecould be fitted with a rotatable knob and that controlled an elongatedrectangle on the video screen. The rectangle would cover the cards to beexchanged. When the cards to be exchanged are covered with therectangle, the player would push a button that would effectuate thechange.

[0015] Another way to implement the card exchange is with a touchscreen. In this version, the player would touch the cards he wanted toexchange, and could then push another button and the exchange would beeffected.

[0016] As the technology improves, voice commands could also be used tocontrol the game.

[0017] The game could also be played with 6, 8 or 10 sided figures. FIG.6 shows an embodiment with a six-sided figure and shows how opposingcards could be exchanged.

[0018]FIG. 7 shows how the game could be played with a pentagon.

[0019] Of course, as the number of hands is increased more than one deckcan be used.

[0020] The game could require the player to pay for each hand. Forexample, four coins would give a four-handed game and six coins wouldgive a six-handed game. Alternatively, one coin could activate 4, 6, 8or 10 games. Additional bets could be required at each stage. Forexample, one bet could be required to start. Another bet could berequired to exchange the cards. Alternatively, one coin could berequired for each exchange. Another bet could be required to reveal theface down cards. And, another bet could be required to exchange thecorner cards.

What I claim is:
 1. A video poker game that has a four sided, diamondshaped display, each side has five cards, the corner cards are sharedwith two adjacent hands, the player can exchange cards from one hand toanother hand, after the exchange the resulting hands are compared to apay table.
 2. The video poker game of claim 1 where the three interiorcards in each hand are dealt face up and the corner cards are dealt facedown.
 3. The video poker game of claim 1 where the three interior cardsare dealt face up and the corner cards are dealt face up.
 4. The videopoker game of claim 1 where the corner cards can be exchanged.
 5. Avideo poker game of claim 1 where a six-sided shape is used instead of afour-sided shape.
 6. The video poker game of claim 1 where a center cardis dealt that can be exchanged with one of the corner cards.
 7. Thevideo poker game of claim 1 where a center card is dealt that is a wildcard.
 8. A video poker game of claim 1 where an eight-sided shape isused instead of a four-sided shape.
 9. A video poker game of claim 1where a 10-sided shape is used instead of a four-sided shape.
 10. Avideo poker game that has an n-sided display, where n is a number morethan 2, each side has five cards, the corner cards are shared with twoadjacent hands, the player is dealt the three interior cards face up andthe corner cards face down, the player then can exchange cards from onehand to another hand, after the exchange, the resulting hands arecompared to a pay table.
 11. The video game of claim 10 where theinterior cards are dealt face up and the corner cards are dealt facedown.
 12. The video game of claim 10 where all the cards are dealt faceup.
 13. The video poker game of claim 10 where a center card is dealt.14. The video poker game of claim 10 where a center card is dealt thatcan be exchanged with the corner cards.
 15. The video poker game ofclaim 10 where the corner cards can be exchanged.
 16. The video pokergame of claim 10 where the player must pay for each card exchange.